Apparatus and method for wireless local area networks of different countries

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to apparatus and methods for adapting a mobile unit to communication requirements of a particular country or geographic region. A wireless local area network communications system may include access points and remote terminals. Remote terminals may use country-specific information in messages from an access point to adapt to the communications requirements of the country in which the access point is operating. The country-specific information may be in a broadcast transmission or a message sent in reply to a remote terminal probe message. The country-specific information may include operating requirements such as channel information, power information, country name, modulation information, etc.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This is a continuation in part of U.S. patent application Ser. No.09/172,180, filed Oct. 13, 1998, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,484,029 herebyincorporated by reference herein in its entirety, and is related to U.S.patent application Ser. No. 08/747,034, filed Nov. 8, 1998, now U.S.Pat. No. 6,002,918, hereby incorporated by reference herein in itsentirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to communication systems, and more particularly towireless local area network (WLAN) communications systems in whichcommunications characteristics are based on WLAN specifications for thecountry in which the system is operating.

A WLAN communications system may be implemented by remote terminals(e.g., mobile units) that send messages to and receive messages frombase stations or access points using wireless infrared or radiocommunication links. Each access point or base station covers a limitedarea, so a typical network may have several base stations or accesspoints.

One protocol that may be used in such communications systems is the IEEE802.11 Standard as published. The IEEE 802.11 is a standard that definesphysical and data link layers for wireless local networks (e.g.,networks that include access points and remote terminals). The standarddefines, among other things, the wireless local area network (LAN)medium access control (MAC) and physical (PHY) layer specifications.

In the 802.11 standard, for a remote terminal to transmit a message, theremote terminal may first have to become associated with an accesspoint. Association refers to the process of synchronizing a remoteterminal with an access point for communication, and is initiated by theremote terminal. The remote terminal may first listen to broadcasts overthe airwaves and determine which access points are within range of theremote terminal, and then request association with a particular accesspoint according to certain criteria. At any point in time, a remoteterminal is typically associated with only one access point. A singleaccess point can be associated with multiple remote terminals.

With the ever-growing global market, it is common for WLAN users totravel from country to country. A problem therefore occurs, in that onecountry may allocate a different portion of the frequency spectrum towireless communications than another country. Different frequency bandsor overlapping frequency bands may have been assigned for use by WLANcommunication systems of different countries. Typically, WLANcommunication systems are assigned to frequencies that do not requirethe system user to obtain a license from the government to operate thecommunications system. The unlicensed frequencies for WLANcommunications systems of a particular country are typically availablefor use throughout that country by any WLAN communication system user.Additionally, different countries may have different regulations thatprovide specifications for operating WLAN systems in that country (e.g.,parameters for spread spectrum communications may differ, powerrequirements may differ, etc.). These allocations and specifications mayprevent a remote terminal that is designed for use in one country fromworking (or being allowed to work or suitably operating) in a WLANcommunications system in another country.

What is needed, then, is a system and method for allowing remoteterminals to meet regulatory requirements, and adapt to and communicatewith access points having different communications characteristics.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for adapting aremote terminal to communications requirements of a particular countryor geographic region. In one aspect of the invention, a wireless datacommunications network including a remote terminal and one or moreaccess points is operated to receive, at the remote terminal,announcement messages that have been broadcast by one or more of theaccess points. Each of the messages may have a unique frequencycharacteristic associated with the geographic location of the accesspoint from which it was sent. The unique frequency characteristic may beused in the remote terminal to determine an allowable frequency set inthe geographic region associated with the access point from which eachof said messages was sent, and to adjust the frequency set of the remoteterminal to send messages on said allowable frequency set. Otheroperating characteristics may be adjusted in similar fashion.

In another aspect of the invention, country-specific information incommunications messages may be used to adapt remote terminals to operatebased on WLAN operating specifications of different countries. Acommunications message having country specific information may be abroadcast transmission (e.g., an announcement message) of an accesspoint. If desired, the communications message may be a replycommunications message sent by an access point in reply to a probecommunications message from a remote terminal. The probe communicationsmessage may have been sent after the remote terminal received acommunication (e.g., a broadcast transmission, a communications messagefrom another remote terminal, etc.) from a component of a nearby WLAN(e.g., an access point of a nearby WLAN) and the probe communicationsmessage may have been sent on a frequency channel on which the remoteterminal received the communication. The remote terminal may have beenscanning a range of frequencies on which the remote terminal is operable(e.g., frequencies for different countries) to receive a communication.The remote terminal may have been scanning frequencies seeking toassociate with an access point to commence wireless operation. Somecountry-specific information may have been stored at the remote terminalto aid in adapting the remote terminal when country-specific informationhas been received from an access point.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Further features of the invention, its nature and various advantageswill be more apparent from the following detailed description, taken inconjunction with the accompanying drawings in which like referencecharacters refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a diagram of an illustrative communications network thatincludes an illustrative wireless local area network communicationssystem in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a diagram of an illustrative wireless local area networkcommunications system in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a flow diagram of an illustrative method for operating awireless network communications system in accordance with the presentinvention;

FIG. 4 is a flow diagram of an illustrative method for adapting remoteterminals based on country-specific information in accordance with thepresent invention;

FIG. 5 is a flow diagram of an illustrative method for adapting remoteterminals based on country-specific information that is carried in abroadcast transmission in accordance with the present invention; and

FIGS. 6 a and 6 b show a flow diagram of an illustrative method foradapting remote terminals based on country-specific information sent inreply to a probe message in accordance with the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The IEEE 802.11 standard as published provides specifications for WLANcommunications world-wide. However, there are some variations in WLANoperation from country to country. These variations may have beenprovided by regulations in each country, in the IEEE 802.11 standard, orotherwise. Manufacturing different WLAN components for each country iscostly, time-consuming, expensive, inefficient, etc. In accord with theprinciples of the present invention, to substantially alleviate demandssuch as those discussed above, universal remote terminals may beprovided that automatically adapt to operate in different countries.

With reference to FIG. 1, WLAN communications system 20 may include aplurality of cells 22 (only one is shown for simplicity). Cell 22 mayinclude an access point 24 (which is sometimes referred to as a wirelesslocal bridge) that was installed in a particular country to operatebased on WLAN specifications for that country. Cell 22 may includeremote terminals 26 that are associated with access point 24 and areoperating based on WLAN specifications of the country of access point24. Each terminal 26 may be a mobile, portable, or stationary terminal.Terminals may be implemented as programmable processor-based unitsexecuting software modules. Each terminal 26 may be a desktopworkstation, laptop computer, personal computer, palm top computer,handheld personal computer, pen-based computer, personal digitalassistant, handheld scanner, data collector, handheld printer, etc. Eachterminal 26 may include wireless-network-interface resources that areconfigured to provide two-way radio or infrared signal communications.Such resources may include an interface card (or an external modem), asoftware driver, and an antenna. Other suitable resources may also beused, but for clarity and brevity, the wireless network interfaceresources will be discussed primarily in the context of an interfacecard, a software driver, and an antenna. The interface card may havebeen configured to use a standard computer-bus interface (e.g., ISA,PCMCIA, etc.) or standard computer port (e.g., RS232, RS422, etc.) toprovide convenient access to terminal equipment. If desired remoteterminal 26 may include suitable hardware and/or software to includedatabase 44 that includes information on communications specificationsof different countries.

A network-operating-system may be implemented on each terminal 26. Ineach terminal 26, the interface card may be coupled to thenetwork-operating-system using the software driver. The interface cardfor each remote terminal 26 may be a network-communications interface.The network interface card for each terminal 26 is typically implementedto use a carrier sense access protocol and to modulate communicationssignals with a spreading sequence.

Access point 24 may be an interface for communicating between wirelessnetwork 20 and a wireline network. Access point 24 may be configured toprovide a communications gateway between terminals 26 that are in cell22 and between a wireline network and the terminals 26. Access point 24may include a resource(s) (e.g., software, hardware, or a combinationthereof) that is configured to connect the access point to a wirelinenetwork (e.g., on ethernet network, a token ring network, etc.). Accesspoint 24 is typically configured to convert signals between wireline andwireless communications mediums. The conversion may allow the accesspoint to pass communication information between the wireline network andwireless remote terminals 26.

Access points are typically provided with sufficient processing,hardware, software, etc. to operate in compliance with the IEEE 802.11(e.g., to provide 802.11 roaming, standard 802.11 data rates, etc.), toprovide country-specific characteristics, and to provide additionalfeatures that are developed by a vendor. Access point 24 may beimplemented using a personal computer (e.g., a Power PC, an IBMcompatible computer), server, workstation, etc., having an appropriateoperating system, wireless-network-interface resources,wireline-network-interface resources, network-operating-systemapplications, etc. If desired, access point 24 may include suitablehardware and/or software for database 42 that may include information oncommunications specifications that are particular to the country inwhich access point 24 is installed. In systems in which access point 24includes database 42, remote terminal 26 may be without database 44, orif desired, there may be a database that is partially implemented inaccess point 24 and partially implemented in remote terminal 26.

Access point 24 and remote terminals 26 may be configured to communicateusing spread spectrum modulation techniques (e.g., direct sequencespread spectrum modulation, frequency hopping spread spectrummodulation, etc.).

The IEEE 802.11 standard includes specifications describingcommunications packets (e.g. format, content, etc.). Communicationspackets, which may also be referred to as frames or messages, may be ofvariable size with the size of each packet being identified in packetheader information. In some embodiments, the body of each packet mayvary from 0 to 2312 octets.

Each terminal 26 may have different communications capabilities andrequirements. Access point 24 may manage the communications trafficbetween terminals 26 and the wireline network. Access point 24 maymanage the communications traffic by controlling when packets aretransmitted to each remote terminal 26 that is associated with accesspoint 24 in cell 22. The communications traffic in cell 22 may includedata packets (e.g., signals that carry packets to provide datacommunications), voice packets (e.g., signals that carry packets toprovide voice communications), real-time packets (e.g., signals thatcarry packets to provide real-time communications such as multimedia orvoice communications), management packets (e.g., signals that carrypackets to provide network management communications), etc.

The wireline network that is coupled to access point 24 may includeequipment 23 that is configured to implement the wireline network. Thewireline network may be coupled to an external network (e.g., PBX, PSTN,Internet, etc.).

For clarity and brevity, the apparatus and methods discussed hereinafterare discussed primarily in the context of messages, rather than beingdiscussed for example in the context of frames or packets.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a wireless network architecture. Host10, which is for example, equipment that is configured to providecommunications between access points, is connected to access point 12and access point 14. Access point 12 handles wireless communicationswithin area 16, and access point 14 handles communications within area18. As shown in FIG. 2, therefore, access point 12 is in communicationrange of remote terminal 30 and remote terminal 32, and access point 14is in communication range of remote terminal 30 and remote terminal 34.Remote terminal 30 is in communication range of either access point 12or access point 14, although remote terminal 30 preferably onlycommunicates with one of them at a time.

In one scenario, remote terminal 20 associates with access point 12 andthereafter communicates with access point 12 to transmit messages to thehost or to other remote terminals. If remote terminal 20 is associatedwith access point 12, remote terminal 30 could transmit a message toremote terminal 32 via access point 12, or to remote terminal 34 viaaccess point 12, host 10, and access point 14. A wireless local areanetwork communications system typically comprises a grouping of hostsand/or remote terminals.

Systems such as those depicted in FIGS. 1 and 2 may be installedthroughout the world. Each country, however, (as discussed above)typically has different operating parameters for use of such systems inthat country. According to an embodiment of the present invention, aremote terminal may be configured with circuitry (e.g., hardware and/orsoftware) to be operable on a variety of different frequencies. Remoteterminals may include wireless-network-interface resources comprisingthe circuitry. The range of frequencies should be large enough toencompass some of the frequencies available for wireless communicationsin each country or geographic region in which the remote terminal is tooperate. The remote terminal may be configured to operate at a varietyof different power settings, with the range of power settings beinglarge enough to encompass at least some allowable power settings in eachcountry in which the remote terminal is to operate. The remote terminalmay be configured to operate at a variety of spread spectrumcommunications settings, again with the variety of settings being largeenough to encompass at least some operable settings in each country inwhich the remote terminal is to operate. These features allow the remoteterminal to operate in a variety of different countries or geographicregions.

Remote terminals may automatically adapt to use in individual countriesor geographic regions by running a program or method contained insoftware and/or hardware within the remote terminal, such as circuitryof the remote terminal having suitable hardware and/or software. Thewireless-network-interference resources of a remote terminal maycomprise this circuitry. FIG. 3 is a flow diagram showing illustrativesteps involved in adapting a remote terminal for use in individualcountries or geographic regions based on frequency characteristics ofmessages. At step 50, the remote terminal may scan the frequencyspectrum, listening for broadcast transmissions or announcement messagesbroadcast by access points. This may encompass tuning to each availablefrequency on which an announcement message from a nearby access pointmay be received. The announcement message may have a frequencycharacteristic that is unique to a particular geographic region orcountry (e.g., transmitted on a frequency channel that is unique to aparticular country).

At step 52, the frequency characteristics of the received announcementmessage are compared with a table, database, or equivalent datastructure contained in memory. The table may contain a listing of thebreakdown of the frequency spectrum for all the different availablecountries or geographic regions. It also may list regulations on poweroutput or other regulations important to the functioning of the remoteterminal. At step 54, a matching country or geographic region is found.At this point, the remote terminal has determined what country orgeographic region in which it is operating. At step 56, the remoteterminal adjusts its operating frequency range to correspond to thecountry or geographic region in which it is operating. It may also alterother operating characteristics, such as power output and modulationtype, in accordance with the regulations listed in the table or otherdata structure corresponding to the country in which the remote terminalis located.

After the geographic region frequency, power settings or any otheroperating characteristics have been adapted for use in the country orgeographic region in which the terminal is located, the remote terminaloperates similarly to a conventional remote terminal.

FIG. 4 is a flow chart showing illustrative steps involved in adapting aremote terminal for use in individual countries or geographic regionsbased on country-specific information from access points. At step 60, atransmitter, such as an access point, that has been installed in aparticular country may be operated based on operating specifications forWLANs in that particular country. At step 62, the transmitter maytransmit a communications message comprising information that isspecific to the country in which the transmitter is operating. Theinformation that is specific to the country may be provided as bit flagsor encoded words in a transmitter communications message. Theinformation may include country name, WLAN operating channels for thatcountry, country settings for variable spread spectrum communicationsparameters, etc. If desired, the format of the information in themessage may be predetermined by WLAN vendors or operators (e.g., theinformation may be formatted to identify the first channel in theoperating bands for that country with the information further includingvalues from which the location of other channels for that country may beidentified).

Country-specific information may include direct sequence spread spectrumcommunications parameters such as, the sequence and channel numbers, mayinclude frequency hopping spread spectrum communications parameters suchas, the frequency hop characteristics, may include the first channel,the number of channels, a table of channels, the type of spread spectrumcommunications, etc.

At step 64, a remote terminal may receive the communications messagecomprising the country specific information. In response to receivingthe communications message, the remote terminal adapts (e.g., remoteterminal circuitry is configured to adapt) to operate in that countrybased on that country's operating specifications for WLANs. If desired,the remote terminal may include a table, database, datastructure, etc.of information on some or all of the operating requirements of differentcountries. If desired, at substep 64 a, the remote terminal may comparethe information received from the transmitter in the communicationmessage to information at the remote terminal. For example, thetransmitter may have sent a message carrying the name of the currentcountry and the remote terminal may compare the received name to namesof countries that are stored at the remote terminal. If desired, atsubstep 64 b, the remote terminal may find a matching country name thathas WLAN operating specifications associated with it for that country.Substeps 64 a and 64 b may be individual steps that are separate fromstep 64.

FIG. 5 is a flow chart showing illustrative steps involved in adapting aremote terminal for use in individual countries or geographic regionsbased on country specific information that is in a broadcasttransmission from an access point. At step 80, a remote terminal mayscan frequencies. For example, the remote terminal may scan frequencychannels on which it may operate in a plurality of countries. The remoteterminal may be scanning to receive a broadcast transmission from anaccess point when the remote terminal is seeking to associate with anaccess point. At step 82, an access point may transmit a broadcasttransmission that includes country-specific information. For example, anaccess point that has been installed in a particular country to operatebased on WLAN operating specification for that country broadcasts acommunications message for any remote terminal within its communicationrange where the message includes country-specific information, such asthe WLAN operating channels for that country. At step 84, the remoteterminal may receive the broadcast transmission and the country-specificinformation included therein. At step 86, in response to receiving thebroadcast transmission, the remote terminal adapts to operate based onthe WLAN specifications for the country in which the access point isoperating (e.g., the remote terminal operates only in the WLAN operatingchannels for that country while adapted to operate in that country).

FIGS. 6 a and 6 b together show a flow chart of illustrative stepsinvolved in adapting a remote terminal for use in individual countriesor geographic regions based on country-specific information that hasbeen requested by the remote terminal. At step 100, a remote terminalmay scan frequencies to find a transmitted communication. The remoteterminal may be scanning to find a communication channel carrying acommunication of a nearby WLAN. The communication may be a broadcasttransmission of an access point, or if desired the communication may bea communication message that is typically used in WLAN operation. Atstep 102, a component (e.g., an access point) of a nearby WLAN maytransmit a communication on a particular channel. For example, an accesspoint may transmit a broadcast transmission on one of the frequencychannels that are available to WLANs in the country in which the accesspoint is operating. At step 104, the remote terminal may receive thecommunication. For example, the remote terminal may have been recentlyactivated and may be seeking to associate with an access point when theremote terminal receives a communication that is a broadcasttransmission sent on a particular channel. At step 106, the remoteterminal may send a probe communications message to the access point.The remote terminal may send the probe message in response to receivingthe communication and may send the message on the channel on which thecommunication was received. The remote terminal may be of the type thatmay not be able to transmit until knowing a valid channel forcommunications. If desired, the probe message may have been sent torequest information including country-specific information from theaccess point. At step 108, the access point may receive the probemessage. If desired, the access point may locate for the remote terminalcountry-specific information from information stored at the accesspoint. At step 110, the access point may transmit a communicationsmessage comprising country-specific information in response to receivingthe probe message from the remote terminal. If desired, country-specificinformation may have been also included in the communication that theremote terminal received at step 104. At step 112, the remote terminalmay receive the communications message. At step 114, the remote terminalmay adapt to operate based on WLAN operating specifications for thecountry of the access point.

Some regulations require that the regulations themselves be displayed tothe user. Normally, these regulations would be placed on the outersurface of a remote terminal capable of transmitting in the country.However, since the remote terminal may be capable of transmission inmany different countries, this may not be feasible. Therefore, theremote terminal may be configured such that, after the unit hasdetermined the country in which it is located, the proper regulatoryinformation is displayed to the user.

The contents of U.S. Pat. No. 5,029,183 to Tymes, and U.S. Pat. No.5,668,803 to Tymes et al., both assigned to Symbol Technologies, Inc.,are hereby incorporated by reference herein. These patents show systemsin which methods and apparatus consistent with the principles of thepresent invention may be practiced. Each patent describes a system inwhich hand-held data-gathering mobile remote terminals communicate viawireless link with access points, similar to the system shown in FIG. 1.

If desired, the remote terminal may be configured so that the user mustverify the country in which they are located. For example, if the remoteterminal determines by looking at a table that it is currently locatedin Switzerland, a message may appear on a display screen on the remoteterminal saying “You are in Switzerland. Is this correct? (Y/N).” Theuser may then be required to confirm that he or she is indeed inSwitzerland before the remote terminal reconfigures its settings tocomply with Swiss standards. This reduces the chance of the remoteterminal mistakenly configuring itself to specific characteristics thatmay violate certain regulations.

If desired, a Global Positioning System (GPS) locator may be built intothe remote terminal, allowing the unit to verify its location instead ofor in addition to requiring confirmation from the user. This featurealso reduces the chance of the unit mistakenly configuring itself tospecific characteristics which may violate certain regulations.

If desired, the multiple geographic region feature (the feature embodiedby the above methods) may be enabled or disabled by a user. When thefeature is disabled, the remote terminal merely attempts to establishcommunication using a communication setting for a particular geographicregion. This setting may be, for example, a default setting or thesetting in use at the time the remote terminal was last turned off.

Accordingly, the apparatus and methods discussed herein allow foruniversal remote terminals that adapt to operate in countriesworld-wide. For example, based on the embodiments discussed herein,every time a remote terminal associates with a new access point in adifferent country, the remote terminal may adapt to that country'srequirements to suitably operate throughout that country.

In one embodiment, remote terminals (e.g., remote terminals 20, 22, and24 of FIG. 2) are hand-held data-gathering units. An advantage of suchapparatus and methods is that for data-gathering remote terminals thatare mobile, handheld, compact, etc., users may easily migrate todifferent countries to use their remote terminals without added cost,complexity, equipment size, etc.

The foregoing is merely illustrative of the principles of this inventionand various modifications can be made by those skilled in the artwithout departing from the scope and spirit of the invention.

1. A universal remote terminal for use in wireless local area networksin a plurality of countries, each country having particularcommunications specifications for operating wireless local area networksin that country, the terminal comprising circuitry configured to: scanto find a communications channel carrying a communication for a nearbywireless local area network; send a probe communications message on thecommunication channel in response to finding the communications channelwhen scanning; receive a reply communications message comprisingcountry-specific information from a transmitter in a particular countrythat was sent in reply to the probe communications message; and adapt tothat country's communications specifications to suitably operate inwireless local area networks in that country in response to receivingthe country-specific information.
 2. The universal remote terminal ofclaim 1 wherein the remote terminal is mobile and handheld, and theremote terminal comprises wireless-network-interface resourcescomprising the circuitry.
 3. The universal remote terminal of claim 1wherein the remote terminal is a desktop personal computer havingwireless-network-interface resources comprising the circuitry.
 4. Theuniversal remote terminal of claim 1 wherein the circuitry that isconfigured to scan is configured to scan frequencies for a broadcasttransmission.
 5. The universal remote terminal of claim 4 wherein thecircuitry that is configured to scan is configured to scan for thebroadcast transmission when the terminal seeks to associate with a newaccess point.
 6. The universal remote terminal of claim 1 for use inwireless local area networks in which an access point comprises thetransmitter, wherein: the circuitry that is configured to scan isconfigured to scan a plurality of channels to receive a broadcasttransmission when seeking to associate with a new access point; thecircuitry is configured to receive the broadcast transmission on one ofthe channels; and the circuitry that is configured to send the probecommunications message is configured to send the probe communicationsmessage requesting country-specific information on the one channel inresponse to receiving the broadcast transmission.
 7. The universalremote terminal of claim 6 wherein the circuitry is configured to scanchannels on which the terminal is operable.
 8. The universal remoteterminal of claim 1 wherein the circuitry is configured to include adatabase of communications specifications for a plurality of countries.9. The universal remote terminal of claim 1 wherein the circuitry isconfigured to receive the reply communications message comprisingcountry-specific information on that country's communicationsspecification from the transmitter.
 10. The universal remote terminal ofclaim 9 wherein the circuitry is configured to receive the replycommunications message comprising country-specific informationcomprising a particular set of frequency channels on which wirelesslocal area networks in that country are to operate.
 11. The universalremote terminal of claim 9 wherein the circuitry is configured to: beoperable on a plurality of channels; and receive country-specificinformation on a particular subset of the plurality of channels on whichwireless local area networks in that country are to operate.
 12. Theuniversal remote terminal of claim 1 wherein the remote terminal usesspread spectrum communications and the circuitry that is configured toreceive is configured to receive country-specific information onvariable parameters in spread spectrum communications in the replycommunications message.
 13. The universal remote terminal of claim 1wherein the circuitry is configured to receive country-specificinformation on that country's name in the communications message.
 14. Amethod for use in a remote terminal for use in wireless local areanetworks in a plurality of countries, each country having particularcommunications specifications for operating of wireless local areanetworks in that country, the method comprising: scanning to find acommunications channel carrying a communication for a nearby wirelesslocal area network; sending a probe communications message on thecommunication channel in response to finding the communications channelwhen scanning; receiving a reply communications message comprisingcountry-specific information that was sent by a transmitter in aparticular country in reply to the probe communications message; andadapting to that country's communications specifications to suitablyoperate in that country in response to receiving the country-specificinformation.
 15. The method of claim 14 wherein said receiving comprisesreceiving the communications message at a mobile handheld remoteterminal and said adapting comprises adapting at the mobile handheldremote terminal.
 16. The method of claim 14 wherein receiving comprisesreceiving the communications message of the remote terminal where theremote terminal is a desktop personal computer and said adaptingcomprises adapting of the desktop personal computer.
 17. The method ofclaim 14 wherein said scanning comprises scanning for a broadcasttransmission.
 18. The method of claim 14 wherein said scanning comprisesscanning for the communication that is from an access point when theremote terminal seeks to associate with a new access point.
 19. Themethod of claim 14 wherein: said scanning comprises scanning to receivea broadcast transmission from an access point when seeking to associatewith a new access point; and said sending comprises sending a probemessage requesting country-specific information in response to receivingthe broadcast transmission.
 20. The method of claim 19 wherein: saidscanning comprises scanning a plurality of channels to receive thebroadcast transmission on one of the channels; and said sendingcomprises sending the probe message on the one channel on which thebroadcast transmission was received.
 21. The method of claim 14 furthercomprising including a database of communications specifications for aplurality of countries at the remote terminal.
 22. The method of claim14 wherein said receiving comprises receiving country-specificinformation on that country's communications specification from thetransmitter.
 23. The method of claim 22 wherein said receiving comprisesreceiving country-specific information comprising information on aparticular set of frequency channels on which wireless local areanetworks in that country are to operate.
 24. The method of claim 22comprising: using a plurality of channels to communicate in differentcountries; and said receiving comprises receiving country-specificinformation on a particular subset of the plurality of channels on whichwireless local area networks in that country are to operate.
 25. Themethod of claim 14 wherein said receiving comprises receivingcountry-specific information on variable parameters in spread spectrumcommunications in the reply communications message.
 26. The method ofclaim 14 wherein said receiving comprises receiving country-specificinformation on that country's name in the communications message.
 27. Asystem for use in a plurality of countries, each country havingparticular communications specifications for operating wireless localarea networks in that country, comprising: an access point that isoperating in a particular country; and a remote terminal comprisingcircuitry configured to: scan to find a communications channel carryinga communication for a nearby wireless local area network; send a probecommunications message on the communication channel in response tofinding the communications channel when scanning; receive a replycommunications message comprising country-specific information that wassent by the access point in reply to the probe communications message;and responsive to receiving the country-specific information, adapt tothat country's communications specifications to suitably operate in thatcountry.
 28. The system of claim 27 wherein the remote terminal ismobile and handheld, and the remote terminal compriseswireless-network-interface resources comprising the circuitry.
 29. Thesystem of claim 27 wherein the remote terminal is a desktop personalcomputer having wireless-network-interface resources comprising thecircuitry.
 30. The system of claim 27 wherein the circuitry that isconfigured to scan is configured to scan frequencies for a broadcasttransmission comprising the communications message.
 31. The system ofclaim 30 wherein the circuitry that is configured to scan is configuredto scan for the broadcast transmission when the terminal seeks toassociate with a new access point.
 32. The system of claim 27 wherein:the circuitry that is configured to scan is configured to scan toreceive a broadcast transmission to receive when seeking to associatewith a new access point; and the circuitry that is configured to send isconfigured to send the probe communications message requestingcountry-specific information in response to a received broadcasttransmission.
 33. The system of claim 32 wherein: the circuitry that isconfigured to scan is configured to scan a plurality of channels toreceive the broadcast transmission on one of the channels; and thecircuitry that is configured to send is configured to send the probecommunications message on the one channel on which the broadcasttransmission was received.
 34. The system of claim 27 wherein thecircuitry is configured to include a database of communicationsspecifications for a plurality of countries.
 35. The system of claim 27wherein the circuitry is configured to receive the reply communicationsmessage comprising country-specific information on that country'scommunications specification from the access point.
 36. The system ofclaim 35 wherein the circuitry is configured to receive the replycommunications message comprising country-specific information on aparticular set of frequency channels on which wireless local areanetworks in that country are to operate.
 37. The system of claim 35wherein: the circuitry is configured to use a plurality of channels; andthe circuitry that is configured to receive is configured to receivecountry-specific information on a particular subset of the plurality ofchannels on which wireless local area networks in that country are tooperate.
 38. The system of claim 27 wherein the remote terminal usesspread spectrum communications and the circuitry that is configured toreceive is configured to receive country-specific information onvariable parameters of spread spectrum communications in the replycommunications message.
 39. The system of claim 27 wherein the circuitrythat is configured to receive is configured to receive country-specificinformation on that country's name in the communications message.
 40. Amethod of specifying a regulatory assigned subset of channels from aplurality of frequency channels on which communications between astationary access point and a mobile terminal can be implemented in awireless local area network, comprising: activating the mobile terminalto periodically listen on each of said frequency channels; sending abroadcast transmission from the access point on one of said frequencychannels; sending a response from the mobile terminal on the onefrequency channel to the access point in response to the mobile terminalreceiving the broadcast transmission; transmitting information relatedto the subset of frequency channels from the access point to the mobileterminal; and storing the information related to the subset of frequencychannels in memory in the mobile terminal to define on which frequencychannels the mobile terminal is to operate.
 41. The method of claim 40for use in a wireless local area network that uses spread spectrumcommunications wherein said transmitting further comprises transmittinginformation related to parameters for spread spectrum communications.42. The method of claim 40 wherein said transmitting further comprisestransmitting information on country name to the mobile terminal.
 43. Themethod of claim 40 further comprising using a database to define onwhich frequency channels the mobile terminal is to operate based on thestored information.